Kilt Night in Raleigh, NC - 3/17

[Magnus Sporrano]

I've already got some plans to go out for St Pat's with a newly kilted pal of mine (Rocky & Kelly should be shipping it out soon, so I hear) and one thing is very true when it comes to kilts & beer - the more the merrier.

If you're in/near the Triangle and don't have any plans for St Pat's, you'll find me and one other kilted lad at Tir na nOg in Raleigh all night.

Anyone else I should be expecting to meet?

[Colin]

Magnus,

Obviously I won't make it to Raleigh, but wondered how the new digs are. Are you enjoying the new location?

[furrycelt]

I definitely want to be there. I don't see why I can't make it, now that my new job has *normal* hours!!

At this exact moment, I am at work on my LAST DAY! So things have been a little crazy which is why I haven't done anymore with the NC-wide Kilt Night. But I still want to get something set up in the next month or so.

Someone (pardon, I forget who) mentioned about meeting up at the Loch Norman Highland Games. I think this is a great idea. I think there is an Irish pub like place near the games in one of those towns (Huntersville, Mooresville, Cornelius, etc.)

Anyway... I imagine Tir Na Nog is gonna be a wild place on St Patty's day, especially since that is a friday. I'll try to make it and drag along a friend or two.

-ian

[Magnus Sporrano]

Obviously I won't make it to Raleigh, but wondered how the new digs are. Are you enjoying the new location?

It's really good being back in NC after a few years hiatus, Colin. Of course I wasn't kilted before I left last time so I'm experiencing it from a whole different perspective this time. That, and it almost seems like the population has doubled while I wasn't looking (from both legal and illegal points of origin, but I digress).

Honestly, the kilt plays a lot differently in NC than it does in Philadelphia. I'm going to guess that it's because Philadelphia is a lot bigger, a lot more diverse, and the folks there are just plain used to people expressing themselves in ways that are greatly divergent from mainstream fashion. NC, even in the more progressive towns, seems a lot more reserved about fashion statements. There was this pub in Chapel Hill I was told I *had* to go to called "Hell" because it was full of people who are more out there on the edge when it comes to expression of inward self through outward dress. When I got there, honestly, I was disappointed. One of the bouncers came over to me within a few minutes and told me that he was really happy to see me there, because all night every night all he sees are punks and goths that claim they are expressing their individuality but mostly just look the same as one another, and I'm the first true individual he's seen in there in a long long time. Sadly, I only stayed for one pint because the owner told me to put my pipe out. How do you like that? You can't smoke pipes in Hell!

There were a couple of other places that wouldn't let me smoke the pipe, either. Never ever had that problem in Philadelphia. Cigarettes were apparently welcome, though, even though they tend to smell a lot worse.

But like Ian said, Chapel Hill is an odd little cultural island (and I would say also Carrboro, by extension) and not very representative of what you would find just outside of Chapel Hill. Raleigh, for example, was far more relaxed about the kilt. Nobody there tried starting any fights with me (though there were apparently a few of those in Chapel Hill).

[Colin]

I would have thought NC would have been a hot bed for kilts given the Scottish migration there in previous centuries/decades/years.

[furrycelt]

I would have thought NC would have been a hot bed for kilts given the Scottish migration there in previous centuries/decades/years.

It is a sad irony. However, given this state's history, it does help. I think that many see me kilted and react the way we all are used to seeing, but with many North Carolinian's they know what they are seeing, they are just not used to seeing it outside of the movies and history books.

Hopefully we in this area can capitalize on this state's history and make kilts to be as popular as they are in Seattle for example.

-ian

[davedove]

It is a sad irony. However, given this state's history, it does help. I think that many see me kilted and react the way we all are used to seeing, but with many North Carolinian's they know what they are seeing, they are just not used to seeing it outside of the movies and history books.

Hopefully we in this area can capitalize on this state's history and make kilts to be as popular as they are in Seattle for example.

-ian

I'm sure the attitude of most people there is that, Yes there were a lot of people of Scottish ancestry that settled in NC, but nobody wears the kilt anymore except pipers in bands or people at Scottish festivals. "Normal" people just don't wear a kilt for everyday clothes.:rolleyes:

[Magnus Sporrano]

I would have thought NC would have been a hot bed for kilts given the Scottish migration there in previous centuries/decades/years.

Perhaps up in the mountains, but I'm down in the piedmont. Most of our migrants are from New York and New Jersey, not Scotland.

I did have one young soccer hooligan approach me in a Chapel Hill pub... had the Scottish flag tattooed prominently on the back of his neck. He asked me about the tartan and all and razzed me in jest for being a yank in a kilt... and I razzed him back for being a Scot in pants.

But I'm not worried about it. The virus is spreading. I'm already directly responsible for USA Kilts getting two new kilt wearers hooked up down here. And I think a couple of others are near the breaking point after seeing the lasses swoon on friday night.

[JBfromBS]

Raleigh is a little far for me to go for a Friday night, but when we get one together in Charlotte and/or Asheville, I'm in! And the Loch Norman games definitely sounds good.

Joe

[macsim]

A lot of Scots did settle in NC but the kilt-wearing highlanders were concentrated in the southeastern part of the state. Because they chose the side of the King during the American Revolution I think many see them as "Tories." A lot of the Scots moved to Canada or elsewhere after the disaster at Moore's Creek Bridge. Even Flora MacDonald moved back to Scotland. The Scots-Irish on the other hand settled in several different parts of the state, notably the Charlotte area, the Triangle area and the western Piedmont/Iredell Co. area. They were generally on the Patriot side and didn't wear kilts. It's really strange to be at the games sometimes and see how all of Scotland's diverse history has sort of blended into one. Kilts are still for special events here. I'm going to wear mine again for St. Patrick's Day at work and from there I think I'm going to wear it every so often, maybe once a week eventually. I don't think I've ever seen a kilt in public here in Winston-Salem other than at some kind of event. Of course we're a German town and I don't see people in lieterhosen either! (Thank goodness for that. ) Chapel Hill is.......well, it's Chapel Hill. That's about all I can say. :rolleyes: